Javier Vachon
Javier Vachon is a vagabond vampire who moved to Toronto some time between the second and third seasons of Forever Knight along with his friends Urs and Screed. He moved into a condemned church and hangs out at the Raven. Character Mortal Background '''Javier Vachon' was a soldier with Pizarro's conquistadores, who conquered the Incan empire in the 1530s. The Spanish forces had been in the Andean mountains near Lake Titicaca when Vachon had been sent on foot for reinforcements. While there is historical reason to doubt the details of this account, Vachon was certainly intercepted by an Incan warrior, who fought until both were mortally wounded. Becoming a Vampire As Vachon and the Inca lay dying, a South American vampire who had been observing them, admiring their courage, decided to bring both of them across. She spent the night teaching them how to live as vampires, gave them their "eternal orders" to protect those who value life, and then walked into the dawning sunlight to burn to death. The new vampires had to bury themselves in the earth for protection. When night came, Vachon's first instinct was to kill the Inca before he also woke. He then left the area, without checking the success of his blow. The Inca survived, and thereafter tracked Vachon—either to get him to live up to the promise he had made their master, or to kill him. Early Life as a Vampire Vachon spent much of the seventeenth century in North America, on one or another side of the intermittent wars between the various European settlers and the native populations. On the whole, his quixotic nature led him to favour the latter. He is known to have killed a French soldier, and he was with the Mississauga Indians in 1787 when they signed a treaty with the British. A few years later, he was in Spain, traveling with a pair of other vampires, Screed and Bourbon, seducing and killing women for entertainment as well as food. Vachon continued to travel with a group of vagabond vampires, adding Urs to the group in the 1890s, when he encountered her in a night club in New Orleans. During this period, the Inca seems to have periodically turned up on his trail: his pursuit was certainly familiar to Vachon's friends, who became resigned to upheavals as their leader moved on to avoid confrontation. Vachon in Modern Toronto At some point, probably between Seasons Two and Three, at least three of this group, Vachon, Screed, and Urs, came to Toronto. Vachon settled in a deserted church, Screed moved into a cellar, and Urs took a job at the Raven. According to Vachon's words to Urs, however, they were no longer running together as a crew. He left the others, intending to take an airplane to Calgary (using the alias J.D. Valdez when he purchased his ticket). Shortly after take-off, the plane blew up. Almost all the passengers and crew were killed. Being a vampire, Vachon survived his injuries; but one of his hands was torn off. By the time he recovered consciousness, the debris field was being combed by forensics specialists and rescue workers, making it impossible for him to remain on site to search for it. He therefore went to the hangar at the airport that was being used as a makeshift morgue. He found his hand; but he was spotted by Det. Tracy Vetter, who had seen his supposed body at the crash site. Vachon and Tracy Vetter Unable to hypnotize Detective Vetter into forgetting, Vachon used her curiosity about him to get himself clothes and a shower. His intention was to then kill her; but he changed his mind and let her go. When she went looking for him at the address he had given the airline for J.D. Valdez, she instead ran into the Inca, who was also looking for him. Vachon temporarily impaled his pursuer, grabbed Tracy, and went into hiding in Screed's cellar. At this point, he told Tracy something of his history with the Inca. Then, once again, he let her go. In the meantime, though, Nick had himself encountered the Inca at the church, and then gone to the Raven to see if anyone there had information about Vachon's whereabouts. Once he located him, he pointed out—vigorously—that her knowing about the existence of vampires put Tracy in danger from any other member of the community who realized that she had such knowledge and was a resistor who could not be hypnotized into forgetfulness. He insisted that Vachon to remain in Toronto and keep Tracy safe. Over the course of the next few months, Tracy repeatedly sought out Vachon for information and company. They became friends—though Vachon was more than a little amused that, now she knew vampires existed, Tracy tended to see them in all her cases. Mind you, all too often, she proved to be right. Vachon's Untimely Death In "Ashes to Ashes", LaCroix's vampire daughter Divia came to Toronto to avenge herself on him. She began by tormenting him with attacks on those she deemed close to him, starting with Vachon, whom she had seen at the Raven. She baited her trap by crying like a lost child. Concerned, Vachon went to her aid; and she tore him viciously with her teeth and nails. He was unable to recover from the injuries, and felt himself being overcome by Divia's malevolent nature. In despair, he asked Tracy to stake him; and, when she balked at the act, he ran himself onto the stake, impaling himself through the heart. Tracy told his corpse that she would bury it with Screed. Personality Vachon is usually seen by others as irresponsible, running from his obligations, evading trouble of all sorts, and interested only in his own amusements. On the other hand, when he personally chooses to commit himself, he appears to stand by that choice. Vachon champions the underdog. He was friends with Screed, who, as a carouche was seen as inferior by other vampires. When Screed died, Vachon was very distressed, and gave his friend's body a proper burial. In a similar way, although nominally avoiding the promise made to his master, Vachon supported the losing Indian tribes, and saved Urs from Lemieux. He remained in Toronto to protect Tracy. It is this quixotic side of his personality that led Vachon to his death. Relationships Vachon was traveling companions with Screed, Bourbon, and Urs until his arrival in Toronto. There may well have been other vampires who also travelled with them, though none actually appeared in canon. While living in Toronto, Vachon was also friends with Tracy Vetter and acquainted with LaCroix and Nick Knight. Episodes of Significance The following is a list of the episodes in which Javier Vachon appears, with a brief synopsis. For a full discussion of his role in each episode, see Vachon's scenes. * "Black Buddha, Part One": Vachon is blown up by a bomb in an airplance, but survives; he meets Tracy Vetter, and rescues her from the Inca. * "Black Buddha, Part Two": After holding Tracy prisoner for a short while, Vachon decides to release her; and, when Nick comes looking for her, is pressed into keeping her safe. * "Blackwing": Vachon demonstrates in favour of the Mississauga Indian land claim, knowing it to be valid since he had signed the original treaty back in 1787. * "My Boyfriend is a Vampire": Fearing that a vampire might be responsible for Tracy's current murder case, Vachon keeps guard on her; later, he pretends to be her snitch. * "Hearts of Darkness": When a vampire kills a man who had recently been in the Raven, both Nick and Vachon fear the killer might have been Urs, and Nick sets Vachon to guard Tracy and the witness she is babysitting. * "Trophy Girl": When Tracy, secretly undercover with an escort service, comes to the Raven to meet a client, Vachon hypnotizes him into leaving her alone. * "Let No Man Tear Asunder": Vachon reluctantly gives Tracy information about a black market organ transplant ring, and later tells Nick about it. * "Fever": Vachon's friend Screed is infected with a disease deadly to vampires and passes it to Vachon. * "Francesca": Tracy consults Vachon about the market for blood drained from murder victims. * "Ashes to Ashes": LaCroix's daughter Divia comes to Toronto looking for vengeance, and attacks those she considers to be close to him, including Vachon. Despairing of recovery, he asks Tracy to stake him; and, when she balks, impales himself. Fan Fiction (The following are works of fan fiction that include Javier Vachon among their characters.) * "Words and Meanings"http://www.foreverknight.org/Bonnie/bon/words.txt by Bonnie Rutledge * "The First Hunger" by Javier Vachon * "In Memoriam" by Javier Vachon * "Suess's Caboose" by Javier Vachon * FK4 - Vachon appears in all the episodes of the virtual fourth season, FK4. * Javier Vachon Centric Fan Fiction at the Screed Was Here website * "A Tale of Cain and Abel"http://www.foreverknight.org/FK4/CainAbel.htm by Greer Watson * "Protective Custody"https://archiveofourown.org/works/12488 by Arduinna * "Missing Persons"https://archiveofourown.org/works/2111277 by Amy R. Images * See Screen captures of Vachon * See the Vachon image pages at the Screed Was Here website Vachon Vachon Vachon